Need You Now
by TFRiD Queen
Summary: Adam and Sio now must make one of the biggest decisions of their life: but, can they come to an agreement about spending the rest of their lives together? Warning, NSFW content for the last chapter (5).
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: An AU where there are no e-gene holders or EIOs, just our platoon as regular humans. Loosely themed around the song "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum.**

* * *

"Uh, Sio-chan—whoa, watch it!" The blonde had barely taken off her shoes before the photo album came hurtling her way, missing by a literal hair. "Jesus Christ, I know you're upset, but I'd rather appreciate it if you didn't bloody kill me in the process as well!"

Actually, upset was more of an understatement, one might say. Jess only had to look at the state of the apartment—photos all over the floor, some torn some not, mixed in with random piles of clothing and what appeared to be the remains of a picture frame that used to hang next to the door—to know that tonight, her job was going to be a massive undertaking that she would wish on nobody. Except maybe her boyfriend, but she knew for a fact that Mahesh was currently having his hands equally full with the other, crucial half of this messy equation.

"…Sorry. I, uh, didn't…hear you come in." The petite brunette sounded sounded sorry, though she didn't look it. Her hair was limp and the bags under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept in days. Which was probably true, given the dullness in her usually cheerful voice.

As much as she hadn't liked being nearly decapitated with a scrapbook, the older woman couldn't help but regard her younger friend with pity. "Oh dear, Sio-chan…" Picking her way through the minefield of debris, she gently retrieved the thrown album and set it back onto the coffee table, though half its contents were now scattered who-knows-where. "…You're going to need this for the wedding, remember?"

"Hah—at this point, who can even say…" Sighing, Sio just dropped herself onto the couch, not caring in the least about the disastrous state of their apartment. Theirs. Or formally theirs. She wasn't even sure who technically owned it now; certainly, neither of its occupants had co-habited together for past two weeks running.

"…You're not…you, didn't…" The blonde breathed in hushed tones, but one look at her friend's hand—"you…don't tell me you actually…_called it off?!_"

It was an uncomfortable staring match, and for a second Sio wondered just what Jess' reaction would be if she said yes. "…No; but I'd be lying if I said I'm not seriously considering it…" The invitations had already been mailed out weeks ago, and just canceling everything less than a month out…groaning, she rubbed her temples and laid her head on inviting shoulders. "I just…I don't know; I don't know what to do."

"Well, if you didn't call off the engagement, then what happened to your ring?" The girl only gave a single grunt before waving her hand in the general direction of what used to be the hallway.

"'S probably somewhere in there…can't remember exactly where I threw it…"

"In there…" Her friend's voice trailed off as her gaze finally took in the apartment's state in its entirety. The floor was littered with a combination of the couple's mail and torn photographs, the formerly smooth hardwood floors now scratched with smashed plates and unswept glass. And that wasn't even counting the scattered piles of clothing and other miscellaneous belongings, some thrown unceremoniously onto the floor while others still hung off the back of whatever furniture had been in range.

In short, it looked like World War III had just taken place. And knowing the two of them and how stubborn and prideful they could both be… Shaking her head, Jess simply decided to just play the role of morale support for now. She could deal with the hazards of broken glass later, as in preferably when Sio finally decided to pass out. Clicking her tongue, she patted the poor girl's hair, wondering if she should even bother checking in with Mahesh yet.

"So…what happened this time? Or do you just not want to talk about it?"

This time. The most recent. As in, this was definitely not the first incident where some petty little squabble had quickly spun out-of-control into a full-blown screaming match, complete with thrown objects. And as with most of their previous fights, it ended in him storming out in a rage while she buried herself underneath every single comforter she owned and cried herself to sleep.

Except this time, this _time_…her stomach knotted in a cold fear and the sour taste of bile invaded her tongue as a piece of that violent, fleeting memory replayed itself again and again…

_A terrifying crash that normally would have sent her running resounded throughout the apartment as the crystal vase met the kitchen floor in a bang. She'd meant to chuck it at his head instead, but it'd been heavier than she thought and so ended up in a million, tiny pieces on the ground instead._

_'I **hate** you! You're always like this—it doesn't matter how many times I tell you, it won't change will it?!' She'd cried, not even bothering to wipe her tears as she viciously slapped him across the face. 'I don't even know how I stuck it out for so long…'_

_His face was an unreadable mask, though the single emerald was glittering with a cold fire. Sio had known him long enough to know that underneath, he was a simmering pit of rage that was just about to explode if she pushed him far enough. And gods be damned, she didn't care if it tore them apart in the process—she just wanted to hurt, to destroy, to make him regret ever turning his back on her again._

_'…I don't know how many more different ways I can explain it t' you—'_

_'—Stop, just stop! I know, yes, it's not something you can control and yes, it's important to you too—but what, so I guess it's more important than me? More important than the person who's about to become your wife?!' Excuses, reasonings, one after another…she was tired of it. Sick of trying to justify her feelings._

_'I—' For the first time in a long time he looked truly uncertain, caught between two forces of equal strength yet utterly different in every sense of the word._

_She should've known. Had known, going into this and getting herself in deeper and deeper as time went by… "If this is how things are going to be, then I don't know if I'm willing to compromise any longer."_

_'…Then that's it, isn't it?' His voice, rough and unsteady, cut through her thoughts. 'You've got your answer already…'_

_'Wha…'_

_It was like watching a dream, seeing him grab his jacket, slip his phone into the pocket and open the door, all without looking at her once. '…'f you wanna call it off, then go ahead; I don't give a fuck anymore.'_

_And with a final slam he was gone, leaving nothing more than the creaking of the only remaining picture frame before it too, fell onto the floor and like her heart, splintered into countless pieces that could never be put back together again._

That had been nearly two weeks ago. Sio had sworn to herself that enough was finally enough, that no matter how awful or lonely she felt she would not contact him in any way, shape or form. Fucking bastard; he'd left of his own accord, it wasn't like she'd demanded he leave so there was no way in hell she was about to go crawling on her hands and knees, begging for him to come back.

She hadn't predicted just how difficult that task would prove. This was partly the reason she'd finally relented and let Jess come over—and also because her friend hadn't stopped calling her ever since news had travelled (with unsurprising speed) through their little grapevine. Kaoru had already stopped by everyday last week, making sure Sio was still eating and at least getting some measure of rest, but demands as a top consultant meant she had to enlist the help of one Jess Beckham when that meeting in Thailand came a-calling. Even before Jess had left her own flat, Sio made her promise that if she tried to do anything stupid like attempting to call him, then Jess had full authority to do everything she could to stop her.

"…I'm sorry; and I know you're tired of hearing it, but don't blame yourself, Sio. The two of you are very different people—disagreements are, inevitable…"

Not that she hadn't known the sketchy outline before she headed over, but there was nothing like actually hearing it in person. Jess wasn't sure who she felt sorry for more—the Japanese exchange student whom she'd somehow become good friends with, or her hot-headed, (ex?)-fiancé whom she'd known since they were teenagers. There was no right answer, she knew this. And yet to not even try and salvage this relationship that she'd had the honor of seeing from the start…

But a promise was a promise, and she'd sworn on her grandmum's grave that tonight, she would not make any mention of who was right or wrong, and be completely, 100% on Sio's side. And if that meant making sure Sio didn't give into the temptation of calling him, then so be it.

"…I'm so stupid." A sniffle, followed by a sob. "I don't know…wh-why, I keep feeling like this…" She gratefully accepted the tissue that was handed to her and haphazardly wiped her tears, though most of them were staining Jess' suit instead. "I-I, can't…I _can't—!_" In one, illogical misfiring of a neuron, she scrambled to reach for the smartphone that was about to teeter over the edge of the table.

"No—Sio, _don't_." Before Sio could even touch the iPhone Jess had already hauled her out of the way, pocketing the device into her own bag. "You made me promise, remember? That you said you needed to take a break, to really think by yourself? And I completely agree; you need to seriously take a good, hard look at your own feelings and figure out if you really are willing to spend the rest of your life with someone like him." Gently but firmly, she sat the girl back onto the couch. "He'll be fine; hell, I've known that moron since we were in secondary—he can take care of himself. Trust me. You know Mahesh and I won't let anything happen to you two."

Jess was right; no, she must not give in to the weakness of her own feelings. But, the _hurt_—it was the worst she'd ever felt, more than she'd thought possible. "Sorry Jess, you're right…it's just, I-I'm just…I'm so _lonely_; I miss him so much…" Hurt and anger over a fight was one thing, but until he'd really left she'd never noticed just how much of a presence in her life he'd become. Even something as simple as just waking up next to a warm body, the comfort and safety of being wrapped in his arms…she choked back another sob as she curled into the other woman's lap.

"Of course you're going to feel lonely, and sad; you've been together for so long, you can't expect to just cut off those feelings all at once." Her hand was rubbing soothing circles in the girl's back as Sio lay on her side, still hiccuping occasionally.

"…I miss him. A _lot_."

"I know."

"…I really want to hear his voice…" Fingers digging into the cushion's fringe, another tremble making its way throughout her body.

"I know." Another pat, pat, through her hair.

"I-I…_regret_…hurting him…like that…" Hurtling those insults like bullets, one after another—what he'd done wrong, what she wanted him to do right, and how much she hated everything about him…and that wasn't even counting the physical damage she'd wrought. Now that she thought about it, he'd never once laid a hand on her, though she knew, he probably came dangerously close after that last argument.

"Just because you said or did things you regret, doesn't make you a bad person, Sio-chan." The blonde's voice was deeper, taking a more thoughtful tone as she was no doubt recalling all their past incidents as well.

"I-I mean…a-at the time, I was just so _angry_; but when it's all over, I always hate myself, for being such a-a, bitch; no matter how many times this happens…I-I feel like, like…I should be better about this by now; I should be more supportive of him, b-be more…_patient_…" She had to stop because just talking about it made her chest ache, a hole that kept gnawing away at her conscience. "I miss _everything_ about him; I-I don't know why, I…always push him away…"

"Sio, honey, look at me." Swollen maroons glanced up mournfully, as if asking how this could ever get better. "I've known you and Adam for a long, long time now; each of you have your own strengths and flaws, but that doesn't mean either of you should have to give up those parts of yourselves in order to become better people. Just the fact that you feel such…heartache over him, means that he's very important to you, right? After all, you only hurt the ones you love the most…"

She nodded sullenly. What the blonde said had been true of course, but why was it that it always had to come down to something as disastrous as this for her to realize it? In all her years, Sio had never thought it would only take one relationship before she started to seriously consider something as formal as marriage; guys had never shown much interest in her before he came along, and certainly at first, she'd thought of it as nothing more than a 'practice run', a learning period.

Certainly not falling head-over-heels—_hard_—for this gruff, sarcastic British man, who preferred his coffee straight-up black (if tea was unavailable) yet would openly indulge in any opportunity with hot chocolate, with his oddly silver hair and the most beautiful green eyes she'd ever seen on any living being. The rate at which her feelings progressed had been shocking, even frightening—the first time she'd realized just how much he meant to her, she locked herself in her room and buried herself under a mountain of blankets, trying to figure out this mess of emotions that scared her to no end, yet could easily set her heart pounding in a most thrilling way.

"I wonder…what he's doing right now…" It seemed like forever since she'd been calm enough to actually feel sleepy, and not the exhaustion that came from the dying fury of a fight. So much for attempting to separate her thoughts from him—who was she kidding, from the moment he'd slammed the door she couldn't stop thinking about him, what he was doing, what they used to be, and all the memories in between…

A warm coverlet was being pulled over her, Jess murmuring something about getting some rest while she started to pick up this mess. She wanted to tell her to not bother, that half the things would probably just be trashed anyway but the blonde seemed determined to at least pick up all the broken ceramics and glass. Maybe that was for the better…as if the apartment wasn't enough of a peril as is.

As she settled into a sort of doze, she heard her phone rumble just once—a message? Was it from him—no, no it couldn't be—but the urge to just reach out and check, just one look couldn't hurt—

…But no, that would be betraying everything her friend had gone out of the way to do for her. And so she shakily withdrew her hand, pulled the covers over her head and willed herself to drift away.

_'You can't, you can't…you said you wouldn't call…'_

Even though ironically, the person she needed the most right now was him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Adam's perspective now.**

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Funny how at first, it was always the opposite; the British man making sure his friend didn't overindulge and make a fool out of himself, what with his piss-poor tolerance, but as time went by, that had quickly changed and so it shouldn't have come as any surprise that they were here now, sitting in the farthest corner of their usual dive bar, the Brit downing his sixth shot while Mahesh could only sigh and signal the bartender for a refill.

"Um, Adam…you've had six shots in the past," he glanced at his watch, "hour and some spare change. Think you might wanna, oh I don't know, take it easy…?"

"Tch. T' hell with that…" He muttered under his breath, vision already starting to swirl but unfortunately for him, his mind hadn't quite fogged up yet. At least, not to the point he wanted—numb and unfocused, not sharp and burning with the constant splinters of that horrendous fight.

_'I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you! I hate that you make me feel this way, that somehow, I can't live without you and yet you don't seem to take any stock into what I need!'_

_Photos tore and dishes smashed; words that cut worse than a knife stabbed into each other, bleeding out until they were nothing more than a mess on the floor. Usually he let her rage until her anger gave out but for some reason this time, he was just as mad—just as frustrated, because what more could he say, how much longer could he apologize—_

_'For God's sake Sio, would you just calm th' fuck down!" She'd responded by hurling the vase his mother had given them at his head, but it crashed into the floor instead. 'Jesus fuckin' Christ!'_

_'Stop, just stop! I…I don't know if I can do this anymore. If even want to do this anymore.'_

_His heart, which had been beating with a furious fire in his chest, froze for a second before it suddenly started beating again but for the opposite reason._

_Was she really serious about breaking it off…a severe chill ran down his spine as the weight of that threat sunk in._

Oh yeah. He'd really done fucked up this time. The last thing he remembered thinking clearly was how if she wanted to call it off, then whatever—he couldn't care less. And then an hour later he'd shown up entirely unannounced at the Indian's doorstep, wherein his friend only had to take one look before letting him in without a word.

"Shit…I'm a fucking. Bloody. Moron." An unpleasant wave of nausea permeated his mouth, and for a second he wondered if maybe he'd had just a tad too much to drink.

"Yeah, no offense mate, but I'd have to agree on that…" Mahesh sipped his own drink, although he'd been careful to keep his count low. One of them had to still get them back to the flat tonight, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be this pseudo-albino who was well on his way to getting piss-drunk tonight. "Gotta say, Jess an' I would never do that to each other…"

"Fuck you, Mirza…" The whisky burned a little too much and he gave a cough, the bartender giving him a look as he signaled for another. Although Sio wasn't much of a drinker, except under certain occasions, she did seem to like this bar quite a bit. Perhaps it was the peculiar decor, or maybe just because this was their usual hangout—once again he caught himself glancing over his shoulder, because how many times in the past had she said she wasn't interested in going out for a drink with the guys, before just showing up randomly anyway?

"Uh, you wanna stop doing that maybe? You know she's not gonna show up anytime soon…also some of the other ladies seem to be giving you pity stares," the Indian whispered through clenched teeth, returning those looks with a false, too-bright smile while Adam remained entirely oblivious. "Though I gotta say, some of them don't seem to bad…"

How was it that this Indian playboy was still going steady with his bisexual, model girlfriend was beyond Adam's ability to reason at the moment. At first glance, the two seemed exactly like the opposite type to stick together—he flirted with just about everything on two legs, while she greeted everybody with a French kiss. And yet here they were, shouldering not only the burden that this friendship bore, but taking care of them to boot. Although Mahesh had not said a word about Sio, he knew for a fact that Jess was no doubt keeping an eye on her as well.

Which made him feel a little better, marginally. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her running off and doing something stupid—or worse, hurting herself; he gave a shudder and let the whisky burn slowly this time, as if a self-imposed punishment on his own crimes. To make her feel like that…god, what kind of man was he anyway?

"I know she'snot comin'…" He slurred, funny how there seemed to be two glasses though he was pretty sure the was only holding one. "Don't need t' tell me twice…fuckin' messed up…said she's not…comin' back…"

At this, his friend completely lost his composure and nearly spat out his own drink. "Wh-what?! What did you just say?"

"Didn't say nothin'; she's the one who said…"

Now there was tone of urgency in the other's voice. "Okay I know, but come on Adam, I just need you to focus here," he grabbed his shoulders in an attempt to straighten him, "what exactly did Sio say?"

"Uh." He furrowed his brows. A bunch of really mean, hurtful shit that was also very true. "…I don't think she wants t' marry me anymore…" A squeezing feeling in his chest as he recalled her tear-stained face, and his own white-hot fury…he fumbled through the pockets of his coat. "'Cause I found this."

A startled gasp. "Holy…isn't that…"

"Yeh; I dunno Mirza, yeh think she'd say yes 'f I asked again?"

"Well, I…okay you know what Adam, you know what I think?"

"Wassat?" Boy, did Mirza know that he actually had four eyes instead of two? Weeeiird. He wanted to reach out and poke them, but ended up slumping against his shoulder instead. "Fuck…I'm drunk, aren't I?"

A cautious pat on his shoulder as Mahesh attempted to close their tab with the bartender, who only shook his head silently with pity at the Brit's long-gone state. "Yes, yes you are quite drunk Adam. And now, I think we should go home."

"Noo…I'm not tha' drunk yet—" His legs didn't seem to be working very well, because the next thing he knew Mahesh was half-dragging, half-propping him out the door, all the while elbowing him in the ribs and whispering to him that he'd better pick himself up because he was not going to carry him back to the car.

"Right. I'm sure." A sarcastic retort as they finally made it back to the ice-blue Lotus. A bit more effort and coaxing (okay, a lot) was involved to actually get said man into the car, but at last both men were seated somewhat in place. "Remember: if you need to hurl, please let me know—do not, I repeat _do not_ just roll down the windows, or god forbid, get any in the car. Jess'll kill me…and then you…"

"Uh huh…" Oh yeah, even as drunk as he was, Adam didn't need to be told twice of the blonde's infamous temper—especially if it involved her very beloved, very expensive sports car with all-leather seats. Besides, he'd been drinking before, and yeah, he was drunker than he could ever remember, but that didn't mean he couldn't hold out until—

"—Dammit Adam, I thought I told you to—!" A sudden screech as they came to the stop in the middle of an alleyway, Mahesh barely fumbling the door open just in the nick of time as the first wave of gastric fluids made a bid for the exit. "Shit, that was close…"

Luckily, it being the dead of meant they didn't have to worry about on-coming traffic. But still it was a precarious trip back, what with the Indian having to keep an eye on both the road and his friend's intoxicated state to make sure no disaster befell the car. As it stood, it took them nearly twice as long as it should have, and when he finally managed to open the door and stumble through the entryway, the first thing Adam did was stagger to the nearest receptacle and let out another stomach-churning sound of retching.

Which happened to be the umbrella stand. Mahesh wasn't sure if he should consider himself lucky or not.

"Sorry…I'm sorry…oh god, I think 'm dying…" His vision was so blurry and he felt sicker than a dog. Hah, maybe that was what he was—not even a person, but an animal, unworthy of his friends and certainly not a wonderful woman like her…

"No, you're not dying…though I have to admit you sound like it," his friend shot back dryly, before handing him a glass of water. "Here, drink it—all of it. You're already dehydrated enough as is."

He stared at the glass for a good five seconds, as if trying to determine if it was poison or something, before taking it with a resigned sigh and downing it in one go. Ooh…while his head felt a little clearer than back at the pub, his body was still pretty much a wreck. "…I think I need t' use th' loo…"

"It's to the—ah hell, I'll just take you." Mahesh put one arm over his shoulders and guided the drunk down the hall, praying the whole time he wouldn't just suddenly vomit all over him. "Try to aim, if you think you can't then just go for the tub." He patted his back in a comforting manner, as if reminding the Brit that he wasn't all alone. "I'm going to get you some medicine, and uh…clean up the mess. Holler if you need me, okay?" Silence. "…Adam?"

"Yeh, I got it; dun worry, I ain't five, for fuck's sake…!" The Indian retreated just in time as his stomach seemed to heave for the umpteenth time, the bitterness of the alcohol mixing with the sour acidity only making him even more nauseated.

What a pathetic sight; here he was, a man who had been congratulated a mere month ago about finally getting engaged, supposedly to settle down with the 'love of his life', a shy, petite Japanese woman whom also happened to be a rabid closet-otaku of all things military (and could also be quite the seductress in bed). At least, that was how it was supposed to be, until he had to go off and be a grade-A arsehole that resulted in the very real possibility of his whole life so far quite literally falling apart in front of him. A dull ache as his stomach complained of being emptied so much, but there was nothing he could do other than rest his head weakly against the tub, the cool porcelain feeling pretty good against his flushed head.

As bad as things had been before in his life, both recent and long past, this current disaster probably topped all of them combined. Not just the physical after effects of drinking too much, but the sheer weight of that guilt that clung to his heart, making his chest feel heavier with every single breath. Sio Ogura. Had she been a blessing, or just a well-disguised mistake to begin with? It was true that at first, Adam had seen her as nothing more than an annoyance—always following their group around, stumbling over her words as often as her own feet or else babbling away in military geek-speak that nobody else could understand. Yet something prevented him from just shooing her away; that same something made him want to get to know her better, to stand next to her and protect her and demand that he be the only one to make her smile.

What happened to that Adam? What happened them…? A great wave of despair accompanied the next wave of vomit, causing him to nearly choke. As if he didn't feel disgusting enough as is.

"Hey, you still alive, mate?" The door slowly opened and Mahesh eased his way in, another glass of water in one hand and a small bottle in the other. "Jesus, you're still not done?" One emerald glared at him from that sullen face, visage even more pallid than normal. "Okay okay, it's fine, I was just making sure…nevermind. I suppose eight shots of whisky is about six shots too many." He gently nudged the other's shoulder. "Drink some more water. And then take this."

Shaking hands reached up for both objects, forcing himself to sit down on the toilet lid for stability, eyes squinting at the foreign text on the hangover cure. "…What th'…where'd yeh get this…"

"I-I, uh…oh you know, you'd be surprised at what you can find in Sainsbury's if you look hard enough…" Although he knew Mirza's intentions were for his own good, Adam could smell a lie from a mile away. HIs friend's unwillingness to look him directly in the eye and nervous jittering weren't exactly helping his case, either.

"Bullshit. There's a lotta places that carry _eki kyabe_…ain't none of them in England." In fact, it wasn't until he started going out with her did they get introduced to this 'miracle drug', so to speak. "She gave it t' yeh, didn't she?"

A wince from the other. "…Yeah. Sio-chan gave it to me a while back." As this awkward standoff continued, the Indian could tell he was about to face an uphill battle. "…It's just medicine, Adam, I'd think you'd like to feel better soon—"

"—No thanks; I'll be fine with just water…"

_'And here we go…'_ Why Mahesh was best friends with a stubborn-ass British man like Adam was beyond him. True, their friendship had been built on more than just exchanging quips over their latest exam scores or yelling at each other over video games; but at first glance, one would be hard-pressed to name the two as 'best mates'. He'd lost count of the number of times Adam had given him 'look of disapproval' at his…choices for romance, and yet somehow they'd stuck together all this time still. Being stubborn certainly helped on numerous occasions—certainly it'd helped bolster his courage to go after that Japanese transfer student that suddenly arrived during their second year—but like every coin, where there was a head there was a tail.

And apparently right now, anything even remotely related to said girl was strictly off-limits. Even something as mundane (and necessary) as hangover medicine. Gritting his teeth, Mahesh wondered for a second just how possible it would be to restrain his friend and just force the medicine down his throat. Probably not likely, even given his drunken state—not only was Adam taller, but he was considerably more built, and he packed one hell of a punch—he knew this from personal experience.

That, and he might just possibly choke on his own vomit and then die. Yeah, probably not a good idea. Perhaps it was good thing that if there was one thing he held an edge in, it would be mind games. He wasn't known as the man with a silken tongue (in more ways than one) without a reason, after all.

"…Sure, you could just continue puking your guts until you pass out, but don't you think you're being a little too…extreme?" There wasn't much of a reaction, save for another weak lurch into the bathtub. "Look, I know even your logical brain knows there's nothing to be gained by refusing—just because it's…Japanese, and she gave it to me, doesn't mean it's related to…that! Or anything else, for that matter! It's _medicine_. To make you _feel better._"

"…What if I don't want to feel better…" His voice was more subdued now, almost like a child whose temper tantrum that had just about reached its end.

Mahesh heaved a deep sigh and rubbed his head. At this rate, he was going to get a headache himself, dealing with this overgrown, emotional man-child. "…If this is some sort of perverse, self-imposed punishment for what you did—and don't give me that look, I know exactly how you work Adam, don't think I never noticed all those poorly-patched holes in our dorm when we roomed together," he shot the British man an angry a look as he could, "I _know_ you. And I don't care how many times I have to say this, but hurting yourself is _not helping anybody_. Least of all her."

His body gave an uncomfortable jolt as Mirza called him out, because he knew it was true. Sio herself had brought it up more than once, usually with her eyes full of tears as she gently cradled his hands that were once again mummified, begging him to stop punishing himself. How many times had she worried over him, and yet still he couldn't kick the habit…it was like a drug addiction, except he didn't need drugs.

"Adam. _Please_. Look, I…I know I'm not the best person to be telling you this. Hell, I don't really even know what to say, but…" Ignoring the mess, he sat down on the edge of the tub, taking the half-empty glass from his hand. "…Yeah, you did a real shitty thing. Yeah, you probably deserved at least half the things she yelled at you," there was a slight grunt at this, though whether it was a protest or agreement he couldn't tell, "but you know what? I don't think it's over. Not by a long shot."

He would've let out a laugh, had it not been for the fact that even the slightest movement seemed to trigger his gag reflex. "Hnn…an' why the hell should I believe you? You're not me, Jess isn't Sio; doesn't matter how long you've known us for."

"…You're right. We're all different people. But, call it a…feeling. Gut instinct, I suppose." Once again Mahesh put the bottle in front of his friend—whether or not he chose to drink it, well that wasn't his business anymore—"And maybe you don't know right now, either. But, I know you'd rather die than just admit defeat over something like this. Over someone like her."

"Who's being extreme now…" Though he would never admit it, Adam had to concede that hearing his friend's confidence in their relationship made him feel a little better. Even if logically speaking, the chances of it actually succeeding were lower than him giving up his habit of self-harm. "Just 'cause I punch walls doesn't mean I'm suicidal…"

"Well, I definitely hope not…" A wave of relief washed over the Indian as Adam seemed to finally give up, and down the contents of that little bottle in one swig. "See, that wasn't so bad…" His voice trailed off as the Brit let out a cough, and he prayed he wouldn't just empty the contents back up. "Here, water?"

"…Thanks." He took the glass, and along with it passed a tacit agreement between the two men.

_'Thank you.'_

_'Yeah, you're welcome.'_

_'You're a good friend.'_

_'I know, and so are you, even though you act like a moron sometimes.'_

_'I really appreciate this.'_

_'Don't worry about it. I know you'd do the same.'_

"Well then," Mahesh cleared his throat in an artificial manner, trying to clear the air of this slightly awkward bromance the situation was brewing, "I think you need to get some rest now. Sounds like you've got most of the alcohol out of your system…" His voice trailed off as Adam slumped against his chest, apparently too tired to drag himself to the sofa. "Or not…"

Oh well; at least it seemed like the vomiting had finally stopped, at least for now. As a precaution though, the Indian left a basin at the edge of the couch. Because you know, just in case.

"Ugh…man, I'm lonely." A single groan, before the silver-haired main pulled the covers up over his head.

"Well…like you said; this isn't something you can solve in a single night. Although, if you're really that lonely, I wouldn't mind keeping you company~" He edged just slightly under the covers, nudging his way towards the warm body that was already settled there—

"—Gah! Get off me, you homo! I'm not that drunk," He shoved Mirza off as the Indian laughed, pulling the blanket tighter around him. "Fuck off already; don't yeh need your beauty sleep or whatever?"

"Hmm, just making sure you're going to be all right. I swear, if I wake up to a mess in the middle of the night.."

"Yeh won't. I don't think there's anything left…" Don't think about it, just as long as he didn't think about vomiting or nausea or anything related…

…or a certain petite Japanese girl…

His chest gave an uncomfortable squeeze and he tried to push it down. _'Sio…I wonder, what you are doing right now?'_ Absentmindedly he scrolled through their last couple of texts, right before everything had exploded—oh. For some reason, one of them hadn't gotten sent? He stared with blurry eyes at the tiny screen.

**[You]:** 'kay then. Sleep well.

Sleep well…he wondered if she was sleeping even half as much as he'd been recently… "Ah—shit…!" The 'swoosh' that was the classic sound effect for sending a text, too late did Adam realize what his fingers had unconsciously done, sending out that artifact from the past.

Maybe it wouldn't matter anyway; she probably wasn't checking her phone at all these days. Yet he couldn't help but wonder, and wonder…


	3. Chapter 3

"An' you know what, he's a complete _arsehole_, that's what–_hic_–bloody _fucker_, piece of, shiiiit…"

"Ah yes, I can see where you're coming from, Sio-chan…"

"Nuhh, uh, truust me, Jess–being his friend isn't the same as being his–_hic_–fiancée. Wait, no…ex-fiancée." She squinted and clumsily attempted to pour her fourth–or fifth? Sixth?–glass of wine, only to have the blonde gently reach over and do it for her. "Fuck him–fuck everything, 'f he never comes back well then good riddance, I say…"

Normally, the Japanese girl was known to be more reserved and shy, even around friends. But this, this was different–a few days after Jess had come to check-in on her, and subsequently decided that it wasn't a good idea to leave the girl alone, even for just a night. Which was how they ended up sitting at the dining table that now bore a few more scratches than it had when they'd first bought it, steadily going through their entire stockpile from the alcohol cabinet that was being emptied into the few remaining glasses that hadn't shattered.

"…So, you're serious then? You're really going to break up…" Even though it had been a 50/50, still her friend was surprised that she would really go for it. "Maybe you two should…consider counseling?" As soon as those words left her mouth though, the glare from Sio's face was enough to make the other woman wince. "All right all right, forget I said that…it was just a suggestion…"

"…Sorry; I know you're just tryin' to help…" Man, why hadn't she discovered the other effects of alcohol sooner? Namely, the one that caused her to become callous and not-giving-a-shit, rather than the giggly and horny state that she usually experienced. "I…I honestly don't know; I know we can't go back to whatever…whatever it was…so, what's the point…" Swirling the glass, she forced the red liquid down–though honestly she preferred cocktails to wine.

"There's always hope, a chance; even if it doesn't seem so clear right now." The blonde shrugged, sipping her own glass—hmm, since when did Sio and Adam develop such expensive tastes in alcohol. "I just…want to make sure that you're not going to do anything you'll regret…"

Sio snorted into her wineglass, not caring that the red liquid was staining the table. "Regret? A little late for that, Jess…" She didn't say it, but there was that unspoken part of the statement.

_Do you regret meeting him?_

Part her wanted to say no; that she never regretted things or looked back on the past, but the other part, the part that hurt until she thought it would never end…

"…Sio. Are you…"

"No. No, I…" Her head ached and suddenly that last glass of wine didn't seem like the best of ideas. "I…I just want to, be happy…with him…" The bottle started shaking in her hand and Jess had to gently take it from her before it spilled all over the place, "…even though…even though at this point, I think I'm just being unrealistic, I…"

"Shh, no no, you're not being unrealistic Sio, it's…" Sighing, the blonde paused, trying to think of the best words in this situation. "…Isn't that what it means to be in love? To care about someone so deeply, through thick and thin?" She rubbed the girl's hand soothingly. "If you really still love him, then I don't think it's unrealistic at all…to want to try and work things out, even if it's difficult…"

She nodded; the Japanese girl understood the realities of this situation, but the alcohol and three-weeks-going-on-four separation was starting to severely strain her logic. "I dunno; it feels like every time I try and do something, it kinda works but then it ultimately just…can't." She stared dully at the remaining drops of wine, for once considering if she really could handle another glass. "I feel like we're just going 'round in circles…"

Jess gave her a pained look, for they both knew that Sio had hit a very vital point. "…Well…I hate to say nothing, but…I really, don't know how to answer that…"

"Don't; somehow, I don't think there is an answer…" Slowly, she laid her head on the table, the dizziness hitting her now that her body was processing all the alcohol she'd just dumped in. "It all depends on…how much, hope I have left…how much longer, I'm willing to put up with this…"

_Or he might yet change…?_ A bitter voice in her head told her to not count on it, that if anything, he was just as stubborn as her and would no doubt just balk at the idea—or else rattle off another list of excuses that she'd heard all before.

Next thing she knew, the wine glasses were being washed in the sink, the recycling bin overflowing with the various bottles of wine and champagne that they'd managed to polish off. Yet still, it wasn't enough—and although there was still some stock left in the cabinet, for some reason, she didn't want to be in here any longer—this sad, broken place that was nothing more than pieces of a memory she couldn't get back.

"Hey, Jess…let's go out." Stumbling to her feet, but surprisingly she was still able to coordinate her outfit, that slinky little black number that Adam always said got everybody's pulse racing as soon as she stepped into a room, complete with her one and only pair of 3-inch spike heels. "I'm tired of just moping about here…"

"Uh, go out? Wait a minute, you're not talking about—" Jess could only stare helplessly as her friend stepped back out, now dressed like she was ready for a night of clubbing or pub crawling—maybe even both—despite how much they'd just drank earlier. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? You've already had quite a bit to drink…"

"Yeah. And?" She swung her purse in one hand, a deadpan expression as the blonde could only sigh and give in anyway, because there was no way she'd let Sio go out on her own in this state. "I'm tired of being depressed all the time. Fuck this; fuck that, fuck everything."

Maybe it was good luck that, being a model, Jess usually dressed like she was ready for anything, from comforting a friend to…downing shots at the nearest hotel bar, apparently. It wasn't their usual hangout dive-bar—that was too far without a car and frankly, held too many memories that would probably just sink her mood straight into the ground. And that was how they wound up in one of London's glitziest and most expensive hotels—The Ritz London, seated at the Rivioli Bar, where Sio had apparently turned her charm up to 11, openly flirting with the handsome barman, who in return had no problem fulfilling her request for shots and cocktails, one after the other.

"I must say Miss, you sure can hold your liquor."

"Aaahh, trust me, 've had some practice…"

Not that Sio was going to become an alcoholic or anything, but at the rate she was going at…maybe she should slow down a little. Vomiting all over her best outfit, in a 5-star hotel, was probably not the brightest idea—even in her drunken state of mind. Next to her, the blonde was still nursing her first drink, and Sio had a feeling that she wasn't really interested in the drink as she was in looking after Sio. Awww, how sweet; a flutter of warmth spread through her—she couldn't tell if it was the whisky or genuine emotions of friendship—before she leaned against the other woman, cooing and nuzzling her shoulder.

"Thanks, Jess…dunno what I'd do without you…"

The blonde blinked a bit in surprise, not expecting this sudden show of affection—usually, if anything it was the other way around, French kisses everywhere—and now it seemed the tables were turned. Smiling, she gently patted the girl on the head, the bartender giving them a look of sympathy. "There there, Sio-chan. That's what friends are for, after all."

The two of the continued to nurse their drinks in silence, not caring much for the rest of the clientele—not that there were that many, given the late hour—until the iPhone buzzed, Jess giving it a bored glance, before eyes widened and she suddenly started looking around.

"Eh, what's wrong, Jess…?"

"Oh! Uh, nothing, just…hang on—" Without another word, she got up and slunk into the hallway, Sio just shrugging and assuming it was just some work emergency or something, until—

"Gin, on the rocks." She nearly choked on her drink as the seat next to her was pulled out, a very familiar, husky British-accented voice sliding in. "…Ogura-san."

So, this must've been what Jess had been in a panic over—somehow, either by damning fate or just sheer coincidence, he'd made his way to this one particular hotel, and one particular bar; accompanied by Mahesh no doubt, knowing how protective the other two were of them. Griping her glass until she was sure it was going to break, Sio defiantly turned her back to him, nevermind the fact that she could see that he too, was wearing an 'expensive' outfit (probably borrowed from Mirza), a nice burgundy button-up with a silk vest and tie, both in deep wine crimson that was paired with, of all things, a red-plaid patterned pants. His scent, so indomitably him combined with the faintest traces of cologne…

If she weren't so furious at him, she would've jumped him right there and then, barman or not. Though granted, the sheer amount of alcohol in her system, and the fact that it'd been nearly a month since she'd seen him at all, was making her feel very hot and tingly…despite how much she didn't want to.

"No words? Alright then, if that's how yeh wanna do it…" That smug, nonchalant attitude, as cool and stoic as when they'd first met as he casually sipped his drink, as if she were just some random hook-up from the past…fuming, she resolutely downed her drink and signaled for another, which the came immediately before barman wisely decided to see to the other side of the bar, leaving just her and him.

If anybody looked at them at this moment, it would just seem like they were just an ordinary couple, albeit extremely attractive and well-dressed. The silence however, was deafening; who knew where Jess and Mahesh had gone to, either they were still looking for each other or else had simply decided to let this showdown play itself out.

And Sio had no qualms with that.

"What a coincidence…Muirhead." She drawled, finally turning to face him at last—and almost immediately regretted it. Fuck, was it just her, or did he seem even hotter than usual? It was probably just the alcohol—yeah, had to be the alcohol, because then her spite came roaring back, and her hormones cooled off—but only slightly.

"Coincidence…or fate. Hmm, well, we've never been too keen on that, have we…" Still wearing that ice mask, that facade of callous and non-caring…Sio wanted to rip it right off, because she knew it was all just a lie.

"Don't fucking start with your 'high and mighty' reasoning, bastard…" She hissed through her teeth, drunk and angry as she was she still had at least some semblance of mind left to not cause a scene right in the middle of a fancy hotel. The urge to just toss her drink in his fancy-ass clothes and storm out, however, was quite tempting.

_Clink_. The empty shot glass was set down onto the bar, albeit with enough of a change in force for her to know that her words had unsettled that stupid mask. Good. "Language, Ogura-san…" Though he was considerably more controlled than she was at the moment, she too, could hear that barely-holding-back tremor that laced his words. A single gesture, and before she knew it he was closing up both of their bills—but why—was this his sarcastic way of saying he was still a gentleman? What a load of bull; it wasn't like she was broke, but before she could even open her purse the piece of plastic was returned and then he was leaving, as if that conversation never happened at all—

"—Ah ha, so I see how it is…just come here, trying to show me up, how 'great' your life is as a single man?" Swaggering after him, the hallway spinning heavily but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to care. Where was Jess anyway, how could it be that she wasn't looking for her—or maybe she was, but her phone hadn't rang? Actually, she realized she hadn't been checking her phone at all lately—instead funneling most of her contacts through the blonde instead.

Leaning heavily against the hallway, she rooted through her purse until the shiny little device finally appeared—a handful of missed calls and messages from unimportant people or else spam, all deleted expect—

**Adam: 'kay then. Sleep well.**

When had this been sent? For some reason her heart started racing, and there was a sudden urge to throw up; the timestamp was three weeks prior, which, if her very fuzzy memory was correct, was right around the time when Jess had first shown up…and urged her not to give in…

_'He actually…texted me?! But why…!'_ Suddenly nothing was clear anymore, what was up was down and right was wrong; a wave of panic seized her and she was running, running for the lobby just as he was about to head out the rotating door—

"—Adam!" His name just fell from her lips, the action so natural after all this time. Just as he'd always had this power to lull her with a single whisper of her name, he stopped, just short of stepping out and instead turned to face her, though his expression was entirely unreadable. "I—you—why did you send this?!" Not knowing what else to say, or even what to ask, the only thing she could think of was the just shove the phone in his face, much to his surprise.

"…Oh. That." His expression hadn't changed much, but she could sense some sort of hesitation. "…That was a mistake. An accident."

A mistake. Accident. Maybe it was because they were both pissed, or maybe it was because no matter how long she had known him, Sio had long realized that all men were, to some extent, complete morons when it came to communication. "…Excuse me?! A mistake? Is that what I am to you?!" Before she knew it she had gotten up in his face, could smell the alcohol on his breath and see the way his eyes widened after realizing that he hadn't exactly used the best choice of words. "You f—"

"—That's not what I—Jesus Christ, this really isn't the time nor place for this—" And before she could cuss him out further, she was being forcibly lead to the counter while he was muttering in her ear to not create anymore fuss and if they were going to be having 'this' discussion, it sure as hell wasn't going to be out in the open.

The front desk only gave them the slightest of glances as the rather odd-looking couple approached, both impeccably dressed but the woman looked like she was about to either fall over or tear someone to pieces, while the man had a glower so serious it could probably burn a hole through the wall.

"Whatever you have, just for the night," the credit card was slammed down and taken immediately, the staff being well-trained enough and having seen this scenario more than once.

"Of course sir; anything else in particular? A suite, balcony, extra-large washroom?"

"—What the hell do you think you're doing—I am not staying—_mmmph_!"

"Please excuse my girlfriend, as you can see, she's had quite bit to drink," a forced smile as he pulled her tighter against him, muffling her angry protests against his vest. "And no, the standard will be just fine." As their cards were being keyed, he pulled her flush against his body. "I'm only going to say this once, Sio: do _not_ make a scene, or I can promise, you _will_ regret it."

He'd never hurt her before, or even actually done anything of that sort, but the threat was so serious that even her alcohol-fogged mind shrank back slightly.

"Very well; room 2513, that's up the elevators to your left. Do let us know if you require further assistance, Mr. Muirhead."

What the hell. What the hell was all this. Still shoved against his vest (so she couldn't just scream to the world what a complete arsehole he was), now being forcibly lead to the elevators. It wasn't until the metal doors closed did she wrench free, although there hadn't been much resistance.

"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?! If your idea of an 'apology' is a drunken, one-night-stand, then you can just go fuck yourself."

**SLAM.** In the blink of an eye his hand shot forward, trapping her against the wall as he rose to his full height, towering over her by at least a head as the mask, the one he'd kept up all this time, was tossed aside completely and she could see, for the first time, just how angry he was, as well.

"God damn it Sio, is that all you ever do?! Blame others for your own despair, thinking that you're the only one who ever suffers?!" A sardonic laugh, as he pressed closer and she unconsciously shrank back. "What makes you think you're the only one who's been havin' a hard time of it, 'ey?"

His breath was hot and furious, each exhale carrying the scent of gin and mixing with the smell of cologne and his own. But she wasn't about to give in either, oh no, if he thought she would be scared just because he banged walls and was a good deal taller, he had another thing coming.

"Hard time? Oh, I'm sorry, we must be talking about two different things." A further narrowing of those emeralds and just as she was about to retort, the doors 'dinged' open, and the next thing she knew, he was dragging her down the hall. "Oh, and like this is any better? Forcing me to come with you…guess I'll have to add 'domestic violence' to your blacklist—"

"—Be. Quiet." A single hiss as the door opened effortlessly and she was rudely pushed in, although not as hard as she'd thought. "…The only reason I went out of my way, to even bother covering your drunken arse, is because I know that tomorrow morning, when you're hung-over and sobering up, you'll regret making a fool out of yourself like you are right now."

She blinked owlishly at his words, a mixture of stunned confusion and smoldering guilt settling in. In any normal situation, she would've been too busy fawning over the luxurious sheets, the gorgeous view and tasteful furniture, but right now Sio could only sit unsteadily on the bed, unsure of what to say now that she was being given the opportunity.

"Oh? Speechless now, are we?" He shook his head in a condescending manner, tossing his jacket over the chair. "What happened to that spite, eh? That venomous hatred you just love to spew out—"

"—Why are you here. Why did you—what the hell was that text all about?!" She cried, suddenly everything was so confusing and she didn't even know what to say—except what she did know, in that moment. "I don't understand you—even after all this time, whenever I think I do, I suddenly realize, I don't."

There was silence, and his eyes lost their edge, although now they were mournful, even moreso given that they were always rather downturned to begin with. "…Fine; I'll admit my choice of vocabulary back there wasn't…the best," she snorted and he rolled his eyes, "all right, it was bloody terrible. Happy? Because me, being the apparent berk that I am, stupidly decided to accidentally send you a text that should've been sent months ago. Before, before all…this…"

"…And why should I believe you…"

"For the love of—well that's your decision, isn't it? I'm certainly not going to waste my time trying to convince you…"

As unlikely as it seemed, Sio also knew that Adam had never been one to lie, or hide the truth from her. "…So it wasn't meant for someone else…"

"No; why the hell would you think that."

She didn't know; well, actually she did, but for some reason she always felt helpless against him, helpless against his reasonings, his words…even her anger, which had been raging earlier, was quickly being reduced to nothing but dying embers. "…I don't—because…because I'm scared…I'm always, scared…" And suddenly she did feel afraid, regretful, because still her emotions were always a wreck, never able to see beyond the moment of her anger. Without realizing it, she started quivering, both in fear and shame.

"…Is that what this 's about? You really think I'd just go and find some other replacement for you?" He looked hurt, maybe even insulted, but Sio couldn't bring herself to apologize, just yet. "Bloody hell, Sio if I've said it once I've said it—"

"—I know! I know you have…but I can't help but be scared…like, I don't know, how can this be normal? How can fighting like this all the time be…okay?!" Not that she'd ever have much experience to begin with; even until high school she'd never been interested in dating or guys, until he just showed up one day as an exchange student, and everything that had happened after was so fast and perfect it seemed to be nothing more than a dream.

To her surprise he laughed, but it wasn't exactly friendly. "Normal? An' what would you be comparing us to, then? Mahesh and Jess? I wouldn't call that type of a relationship normal, you know."

"I don't—I don't know! I just know that there is this, this, thing, this problem…that we have, and yet no matter how hard I try, I can't solve it!" Furiously she shook her head, the embers that had been dying moments earlier fanning up again. "For god's sake, we were going to be married, and just the fact that I don't even know if that's a good idea anymore—how can it be anything but a bad sign?"

The word 'marriage' seemed to have triggered something, and his expression suddenly changed color again. "…You're right. There is a problem. And it is as I have explained to you countless times already; but if you can't accept it, then maybe you are right. Maybe we weren't meant for each other after all." He wasn't facing her now, but she could detect the slight tremble in his voice. "I accept you, for all of you as you are, Sio Ogura. But if you can't accept me, as I am…then it's not going to work, no matter how hard we try."

For some reason she wanted to cry; she was angry, but she was also miserably sad at the same time. The thought of losing him forever…it was worse than death, almost. And yet, if she really thought about it, could she put up with this for the rest of her life?

Perhaps the most frightening thing wasn't if she would be able to live without him, but that she didn't know the answer.

"…I really, don't know…" Her voice was wobbling and she was pretty sure that, despite really not wanting to, she was about to cry. "I don't know any of that! I just know…I don't want you to leave…"

He sighed; a long, heavy sigh, and she knew it was his way of saying that nothing really had changed, other than they'd just had another particularly bad fight. "I don't want to leave, either. An' as much as you may think…I, don't…I've already decided on you. I don't want anyone else to share my life. Except you."

There was such a tone of longing in his voice that she couldn't help but break; turning away as the tears started to fall, because how could she face him after all that? It was the same each and every time; hateful words would rain from her mouth like bullets, and then he would be able to repel them with a single sentence. Why, why…

"Th-this…this always happens…why I should I believe it'll change, or even get better? How is this…worth it?"

"…Maybe it won't change; I can't answer that any more than you can. But for me, at least…I'm willing to accept it. If it means, I can be with you." She hadn't noticed it, but suddenly he was a good deal closer, next to the bed instead of halfway across the room.

"And what about me? You may be okay with this, but what if I'm not? How do I know you're willing to change things…for the sake of my happiness?"

There was a long, drawn-out silence after that, Sio just sitting there and sniffling, not even bothering to reach for the tissue as he sat, sat and just hung his head in silence. What a pointless question; hadn't they already discussed this countless times now, after the very first time they'd started to seriously consider marriage?

Why would anything be different from then…

There was a stillness in the air, as he sat to contemplate—as if really contemplate for the first time, just exactly what marrying her would entail. All the times in the past…the talks, discussions, whatever—it was based on assumptions, promises that were made at the time because what was there to say—

—other than what they wanted to hear from each other?

"…Then I don't know what else I can say…"

Her heart was beating so fast she could barely concentrate on his voice; no, perhaps she didn't want to hear it, those words she'd tortured herself with countless nights in a row of the worst outcome possible:

_I don't want to be with you anymore._

"…listening? Oy, Sio…" His touch, which she hadn't felt in weeks, startled her and she was staring at his eyes, both of the glassy emeralds, red-rimmed from the alcohol and no doubt lack of sleep.

"…Then why don't you just leave…"

There was a sudden intake of breath and it was as if all the tiredness, the drunkenness was wiped away with that one sentence. When it left her lips, she wasn't sure why she had even said that or what it really meant to her—except, it was the only option she hadn't wanted to bring forth, until now. Because really, what other choice did she have left?

He stumbled back slightly, as if her very words burned him—and they probably did, knowing how sensitive he was deep down. "…So this is it, then? This is really…how it ends, for both of us…?"

_No! I don't want it to!_ "…Then what are you suggesting?! What more is there left for us?" She cried desperately, flinging herself against the expensive silk sheets, unable to look at his face any longer. "I've tried everything I can think of; I don't want anybody else in my life, but this just isn't working! I don't know what else I can do anymore; all I know is, this can't continue…or else it'll just completely tear us apart…"

"…I don't know, either." Complete and utter defeat, instead of his usual bravado or whatever words and promises he usually tried to coax her with into staying. A few steps later, and she felt the mattress sinking down with his weight, not even caring anymore how close he was to her now. "…All right. I…guess I should apologize for being so selfish all the time…" There was a strange sort of stutter in his voice, one that she could barely recall hearing but it presented itself now, his own insecurities and fear.

"…I-If…if you truly no longer wish to be me with me…then, I'll accept…your answer…"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the delay; I debated for a long time how to end this, and I got stuck for a while; also I have so many other stories and projects so...originally there was only supposed to be 1 final chapter, but I wrote way too much and I ended up having to split it into two parts.**

* * *

"I…what…what are you saying…" Even though she'd been the one who had voiced that option first, hearing him say it seemed to cement that finality all the more, rather than just her own wild delusions. Was he really serious? Part of her had expected him to retort and counter–even begging her to not end this. But to hear him given in so easily… "S, So, y-you…really do want to…b, break, up…"

Before she knew it, the tears were flowing again, only this time Sio made no effort to stop them. So this really was it, then…all those years of wishing, hoping, dreaming and then finally living the reality, ever since that one day where her school had suddenly announced the arrival of a foreign exchange student, just like that.

_'Whoa, is that the new guy? Seems kind of surly….' _

_'Yeah, but ohmygod is he hot; those eyes, that hair–he can yell at me any day…'_

Those were the rumors that had started swirling the moment the British student took his seat, attracting the attention of the majority of the female population–and a good deal of rivalry amongst the guys. How they'd even gotten to meet in the first place–wrong place at the wrong time, or right place at the right time?

_'Oy! What're you doing–'_

_ 'A-ah! I-I'm, s-s-s-sorry Muirhead-san, but it's just…this, this is yours, isn't it?' _

_'…Oh. Um, yeh, that's…sorry. I didn't mean t' yell at you…uh, Ogura-san, was it?'_

He took her out to coffee as a means of apology, and then the next day they acted as if nothing had happened. Until the next time she caught him reading a book on the history of British military strategies–and shyly asked, complete with stutters, if she could borrow it. Which led to her taking him out to tea as a means of thank you. And then the next time…and next time… Until her best friend Asao and her entire little circle of friends were pestering her about just what they were going to do, after Adam's stay in Japan ended. A long distance-relationship? Or maybe they should just break up and forget about the complications of having such a thing in the first place?

She hadn't been expecting that third option, not until he presented it to her; the last week before he was set to leave, and right after the two of them made love for the very first time, sweaty and tired and cuddled underneath her camo-print sheets as the rain poured outside her windows and she was snuggled tightly in his grip.

_'Oy, squi–no, Sio. There's…something I wanted to ask you.' _

_'Hmm? What's up…' _

_'It's…about us. About…I don't know, have you thought about where you're going after high school?' _

_'Eh? W-well, I-I mean…I, I don't want to end this relationship just because you're…going back…' _

_'I don't either; but I have a feeling…I won't be satisfied with just a long distance thing. I…want to be with you. Always.'_

_ '…M-me, me too…but I haven't figured out exactly what I'm even going to study yet, let alone which university to apply–' _

_'–What about London? There's plenty of world-class universities there. Have you…would you, consider getting your college education…abroad?'_

And just like that she'd made up her mind, told her parents the very next day that she was going to forgo Japan's nationally-acclaimed universities and seek her future overseas. It hadn't been easy of course–the number of arguments she'd had, until finally they gave in, after seeing how stubborn she was.

And now after they were both graduated and working and about to take that next, vital step of their relationship, their lives together–and it was going to all come crashing down in this one moment? Her blood ran cold and the rush of adrenaline was so strong she could barely keep her mind focused.

"_S-Sonna_…it can't be…th, that's, all there is to this…"

Her tears were so thick she didn't even notice him until he was standing in front of her, hands framing her face and only then could she see his tears, too.

"O-Oy, Sio…I thought, you…you were the one who said you couldn't take this anymore…?" There was a hushed intake of breath as she desperately gulped down her tears in an attempt to make her voice work.

"W-Well, I-I-I…I don't…know? I thought…I-I mean, if this is, how things are going to continue…then, what choice do we have…?" She was so tired at this point, not even angry anymore as she let him continue wiping away her tears, the touch somehow soothing even though just a mere five minutes ago she couldn't even stand to be in the same vicinity as him.

"I–all right you know what? Just forget all that–forget everything that just happened, and has happened, and just answer me right now: do you…still want to be with me?" Those green orbs, boring into her own; Sio wanted to blink but somehow she couldn't.

"I…I…"

"Don't try and think about this logically; just answer me with your feelings."

Her feelings, huh? The same feelings that told her to just somehow go and ask him to borrow that book; then told her to go for it, and told her that her future was not going to be found in Japan…

"I-I, do…I don't want to be with anybody else…." It was the truth, wasn't it? The reason why even after all this time, she still felt so tortured each time they fought and disagreed and tore each other to pieces.

To her surprise, there was a small upturn in his lips, very slight, as if he couldn't decide whether to cry or smile. "All right…all right then. I…had hoped you would say that…because now, even after all…that…I'm more sure than ever…that I want you to be with me, for the rest of my life."

"S-So…so you really want…me…"

"Yes, I really, really do, Sio."

"B-But, what about…"

He stood up so suddenly that Sio nearly fell over, but then realized he was merely going over to his jacket, fishing around the pockets for something…

"In that time that I was…gone, I did a lot of thinking. And I've realised, you are…right. I've been immensely selfish, and I apologise–no, I don't think any words I can say now would be enough, at least not right away…" His hands were still flitting around with some object or other, but Sio couldn't see what it was through her teary eyelashes. "When I…first thought about marriage with you, I was a naïve fool; I thought I knew what it was, but I've realised…I know nothing at all. What it means to you, means to me…what it is, I have to actually _give_, instead of just always taking…"

Somehow he was kneeling in front of her, but her mind couldn't make sense of it. She knew what this meant–had already gone through this once, and yet still she didn't understand, even though the ring was there, clear as day.

"I…know this is probably the worst time t' be asking this of you, but t' hell with it all; I don't give a fuck anymore." That tiny little band that was being presented in front of her; where did he find it? She couldn't even remember anymore when she'd taken it off, much less where she'd chucked it after their fight.

"I'll…ask you once more, then: Sio Ogura, would you marry me, be my wife, and someone precious to me for the rest of our lives?"

"Wh-where…you found it…" Her mind was in a daze, heart pounding so hard and all the words and stuff she was supposed to say–wanted to say, all a jumble in her own mind.

"Heh…yeh, I…went back, actually…when you were out…" His face was set in that very peculiar expression of his, the one that said 'well, what can you do'. "Maybe I should've gotten you a new one, but–"

"–N-No, I…I like this one," she whispered quietly, for some reason why were all those bitter memories dissipating so quickly? "I…I want to marry you, but…" Sio took a deep breath. Of all the things that had happened in the span of one evening, she had not expected to be proposed to again, for a second time. And if they were going to be granted another chance, then there was no way in hell she was going just screw it up like they did the first time.

"Yes?"

"I…" Adam's gaze was unwavering, but not unsettling; fierce, but not unkind. "…Let me come with you, _please_…don't just, k-keep going away like this, and leaving me behind…" She sniffled, wiping away fresh tears. "How can we really be together…if I don't even know where you are half the time?"

As part of the hospital's team of on-call public health specialists, Adam's job often demanded that he leave London–or even the country–for extended periods of time, with little or no warning, and not even a guarantee of how long. At first Sio had been okay with it; after all, before she moved permanently the U.K., their relationship had been long-distance, no? But soon afterwards, she realized that the relationship they had as students was very different than when they were living together and basically about to be married; the toll of his constant, unpredictable absences wore on her temper and feelings, aggravated by the fact that Adam rarely allowed her to come–because oftentimes the assignments were to more dangerous parts of the globe.

There was a long period of silence, Adam no doubt going over it in his own mind. For they had argued about this long ago, and many times; he hated the idea of leaving Sio behind each time, but he feared the thought of something happening to her even more.

"…If…if I, agree to have you come with me…then, you must know…it will be difficult." He sighed and brushed her hair. "You won't ever feel settled, we might have to leave at the drop of a hat…not all the places I get sent to are as nice as London or Tokyo, and…" His lips pressed into a thin line, and Sio knew he was thinking about something serious.

"…What's going to happen once we have…kids?"

The air seemed to grow heavier around them, if that was possible. Children…and raising a family. They'd only ever discussed it in a casual manner, never actually delving into the details but Sio knew for a fact that both she and Adam desired to start their own family eventually.

_'It's another hurdle, that I have to clear…but, then again, hasn't this entire relationship been about clearing hurdles? Long-distance dating, studying abroad, moving overseas…'_

"I…don't know yet." Despite her outward appearance, she was feeling strangely calm, now. "But, I know that the two of us…we have the ability to find that answer. Even if right now, we don't know…I mean, wh-when you first asked me to move here, I had no clue what I was doing." She gave a half-hearted grin, remembering how she basically had to re-learn and orient herself from the ground up. "But we figured it out…together, s-so I'm sure…we can figure this out, too."

To her great surprise, there was the low sound of laughter from him, something she hadn't heard in a long time. "Oh…Sio Ogura…now I remember why I was so taken with you…why I decided I wanted to marry you."

"Eh?"

A warm hand cupped her cheek and she shivered; it seemed like it'd been forever since she felt his touch, or anyone's touch, for that matter. "Just when I think I know you…there's always something surprising. And I want you to keep surprising me, for the rest of my life." The ring, with its garnets instead of diamonds, catching the glow from the lamp and filling her tear-drop-stained vision with hints of crimson. "I admit, I…don't know if I have as much confidence in myself as you do in me. But I trust you…so, I…hope you like Egypt."

"Huh?" All the seriousness seemed to vanish for a second as she blinked unsteadily. "E…gypt?"

"…Well, I did warn you that we would have to leave at the drop of a hat. And to…interesting places."

"…O-Oh! Oh, I–no no, I, I got it…" It seemed like all the alcohol she'd consumed, including the drinks before she came here, were all finally starting to kick in at once–it was more difficult to think straight, and things seemed to take twice as long to process. "W-Well…I've always wanted to see the pyramids…"

Something warm was starting to fill her body; not from the drinks, but from a feeling that had been absent for quite a while now, as she could see Adam slowly trying not to smile too hard at her response.

"Sounds good to me; I'm sure I can take a day or two off to sight-see. So, that being said," he gently took her left hand, stroking it very softly, "will you marry me?"

"Yes, I'll marry you…" Sio felt like she was in a trance, unable to move and only able to watch as the ring slid into place, and it felt like welcoming back an old friend. "I…"

"What is it?" What had been sharp and volatile was now soft and quiet; all those angry, pent-up thoughts and rage she'd unleashed just hours earlier at the bar seemed like it was a different lifetime ago.

"U-Uh…s-so, does this mean we're staying the night here?" She asked stupidly, brain too buzzed and tired to come up with anything else other than the obvious.

He stared back at her, unblinking for a few seconds as it seemed like he was processing her words as well. "Oh…ah, well I…" He shook his head, amused now that everything had happened so quickly. "I uh, hadn't been thinking that when I first…paid for the room…but hell, why not, right? It's supposed to be a high-class hotel and all…we may as well take advantage of it…it's also late…"

"Y-Yeah…" Still, the two continued to sit around awkwardly, she on the edge of the bed and he in the chair in front of her. Even though they'd basically overcome that monstrous knot, of finally being honest with themselves and their feelings, it wasn't as if everything was suddenly going to be peachy again. But certainly, that dark heavy cloud that had been weighing her down this whole time…it was as if there had been a sudden gust of fresh air, and though she was still rather uncertain and emotionally drained, she began to feel the warmth of being with him again, something she hadn't felt since the very beginning of their relationship.

"W-Well, I-I don't know about you, but I could definitely use a shower." Laughing nervously, Sio attempted to wobble her way over to the bathroom–man, she really did have too much to drink–but then a hand reached out and stabilized her.

"Whoa there, someone's been drinkin' a bit too much, 'ey?" There was a husky murmur in her ear, and for some reason it sent a shocking wave of heat straight through her body, tired as she was.

"Speak for yourself…I can still smell the gin…" She muttered back, although truthfully she was in no position to be a model of sobriety. "Did you go pub crawling with Mahesh earlier?"

He shrugged, guiding both of them into the large, spacious washroom that had a shining porcelain tub with jets and what seemed like mountains of fluffy, white towels. "Somethin' like that…"

For some reason, Sio's mind wasn't working when he began taking off her clothes; it was familiar yet foreign at the same time, and by the time she realized what was happening she was half-nude, standing in nothing but her silk lingerie as the tub was being filled. She gasped and pulled away suddenly, much to his dismay.

"…Sorry. I guess that was too sudden…" Adam was turning to head out the door to give her some privacy, but something in her caused her to pull him back before she knew it. "…Sio?"

"_A-ano_…you can, stay…I was just surprised…" She took a glance at the now-full tub of steaming hot water, and the complimentary bottles of luxurious bubble bath. "A-Actually, y-you can…can we, take a bath together…like we used to…"

Sio had only meant it in the most innocent of meanings–the tub was more than big enough, and she'd missed him scrubbing her back–but as his face turned an odd shade of pink, her alcohol-fuzzed brain finally made sense of the other set of implications. "I-I mean, since you're…here and all…can you at least wash my back?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Final part of the 'ending' that I had to split into two; be warned, while most of this story isn't R-rated, this chapter is definitely all about make-up sex, and lots of it. If you're not interested in that, you can simply scroll down to the bottom to see how it all gets worked out.**

**This story actually started out as a way for me to cope with my emotions when I was going through something similar; though it's been over a year and it took way longer (and more turns) than I had anticipated, I'm still really proud of being able to finish it, and on a topic like marriage, engagement, and how to deal with the messiness that comes with it. Some plot points don't quite match up b/c I hadn't thought it all out when I started writing it, but I hope you've enjoyed reading it.**

* * *

Adam had a weird look on his face, as if he couldn't decide between grimacing and laughing, but he nodded a yes, before turning around and shedding his clothes, while Sio fumbled with her underwear–why the hell had she decided to wear such a complicated pair anyway?

"_Mmm_…this feels so nice…" Groaning, Sio just sank into the water, after emptying the entire bottle of bubble bath into the water and letting the foam rise to a ridiculous amount. "God, it feels like I haven't relaxed in forever…"

"I don't think either of us have…" A wave of bubbles went over the side as an additional body entered the tub. "…Did you have to empty the entire thing? The scent's rather strong…"

She turned around and gave him a dry look. Personally, she loved bubble baths and fizzes and well…considering everything he'd put her through, Sio was feeling a bit selfish at the moment. As she was lathering herself up with the (very fancy, triple-milled) soap, his hand reached from behind and grabbed it from her. "Hey–I wasn't done–!"

"You wanted me to wash your back, no?" But his hands were doing more than just that; after thoroughly covering her back with a layer of soap, strong fingertips started massaging her shoulders and then her neck, Sio moaning with relief as all the stiffness and knots from the past few weeks seemed to disappear.

"_Ooooh_…ah, that's good…y-yeah, to the right…ah, hurts so good…" The massage combined with the heated bath felt downright heavenly, but as he continued touching her, she realized that wasn't all she was experiencing. And apparently, he was feeling the same…at least, she was pretty sure she knew what that hard thing poking her bum for the past five minutes was. Though he hadn't said anything, she subtly wriggled her hips against his erection, grinning to herself when she heard a barely-suppressed hiss through his teeth.

He didn't say anything however, only continued to scrub her back, rinsing off the soap even as she started a subtle humping motion, rubbing the tip with her back. Sio wasn't sure if he was trying to hide his reactions out of pride or something else; though she had to hand it to him, his resilience was impressive, especially given how drunk he must be, not mention just how long they'd gone without each other.

Only when she was basically clean and debating between soaking in the tub a little longer to tease him or just get out, did a hand slowly snake its way around her waist. For some reason, instead of jumping or even turning around with a protest, she simply laid there, gently resting against his chest as his fingers smoothed across her skin, sending trickles of heat all over but she didn't dare move. Perhaps it was just like how he willed himself to not respond to her teasings, Sio felt like she was in a trance, even as the hand reached its goal and one digit started caressing her pink nub, while another gently pushed around her folds. Her eyes were starting to become a little hooded, from the heat and the pleasant little shivers that were starting to crawl all over from his actions; his heartbeat was steady and comforting against her head, but as she was just about to drift off, the waters moved and his other hand firmly cupped her breast.

It really had been too long since she'd had any kind of sexual activity, with him or even by herself. As much as she tried not to make any noise, she couldn't help the breathy sighs as his motions became a little faster, a little bit more forceful. She could feel herself getting wet, even in the bathwater, and Adam took advantage of this by sliding in a single finger.

"!" She definitely felt that one; her hips jolted instantly in response, a short breath morphing into a low whine and she swore she could hear him smirk. He was using his thumb to stimulate her clit while working a finger inside her, and Sio could feel her legs growing taut as she tried to restrain her movements, even as the heat pooled fast and low inside her belly. By the time his hand had switched to her other breast, massaging and squeezing the soft mound as the pink nipple stiffened from arousal, she was literally gulping down air in a last-ditch attempt to prevent herself from just moaning like a whore. Though she knew Adam loved it, and Sio herself rather enjoyed it, there was no denying that she was loud in bed; back when they had been students, they'd been told off more than once by Mahesh–who, despite his playboy attitude sincerely wished to get some actual sleep on nights before his exams.

"Feelin' all right, love?" His voice was low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. Sio wasn't sure what surprised her more, the fact that he'd spoken at last or that he called her 'love'. After living in London for a while, she became accustomed to the fact that it simply was a term of endearment, and not necessarily the same meaning as it was in other languages–but it was startling how quick they seemed to have morphed back into who they had been. "You seem rather…flushed." As if to emphasize his statement, he placed a heated kiss right where her neck met her shoulder, and this time Sio couldn't help the squeal. It had always been her weakest spot, and Adam knew this.

"_Nnnng_…shut up…" She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of winning so easily; admitting he had been a bastard and that he was wrong was one thing, but as with everything in their lives, neither of them simply rolled over and gave up. "If you…want me to come, screaming your name…then you'd better try harder…"

Maybe challenging him in this scenario, when both of them had been through an emotional hell, wasn't the best idea. But that emotional roller-coaster and the accompanying booze had pushed whatever rational thoughts long out of her head. Sio didn't need to see his face to know that Adam had more than accepted her challenge; she could literally feel his ego hungering for some sort of chance to prove himself in her eyes, whether it was repenting his sins by admitting his selfishness, or else by turning her into screaming, writhing mess of ecstasy.

Or maybe the simple answer was that she was just really horny after not having any sex for over a month.

The bath water splashed out as she writhed, limbs now jerking every so often as she grew closer to her climax. Hands were smoothing up and down her torso, while his lips were plastering kisses all along her neck and shoulder. A slight whimper escaped her mouth as he rubbed her clit, using tight, fast circles that forced her to bite her lips to prevent her voice from escaping.

"Oy, don't hide yourself away from me…Sio, please…" The pleading tone made her feel guilty yet empowered at the same time; she knew that he was truly sorry, and so was she, but Sio was curious to see just what lengths she could push him to… Somehow one of his hands was over hers, both of them groping her breast at the same time. It was much larger than her own, and the heat was comforting. She'd missed his touch after all this time, but her pride refused to let her give in. "Let me hear your voice…"

She shook her head desperately, but when Adam inserted two digits straight to her g-spot, she couldn't stop the gasp that left her lips. "N, No…_ahn_…n, noo…" Her stomach was tense and it felt like her core was on fire; she was gasping for breath as he fingered her towards her inevitable climax, shivering and pushing back hard against him as she felt her inner walls starting to spasm erratically from his fingers.

"That's it love; come on, let your voice out…" Sio could barely keep her eyes open as her hips jerked, mouth open but no voice as she came in a mess of quivering limbs and harsh breaths. Her uncontrollable flailing almost sent her crashing into the edge of the tub, but to her surprise Adam caught her just in time, shielding and and holding her warmly in his grasp as she rode out the rest of her orgasm, trembling and whimpering quietly while he whispered soothing nonsense into her hair. Heaving for air, she turned onto her side, using his chest as a pillow while she recovered, curled against his warm body as he gently rubbed her snatch a few more times.

It felt strange to suddenly be having sex again after such a disastrous fight; they'd both become familiar with make-up sex, but this had been a different beast entirely. Whether it was the emotions or the alcohol or even her hormones, Sio felt like crying all of a sudden; and in fact she did not bother to stop the tears that left a trail down her cheeks, much to Adam's surprise.

"O-Oy! Sio, what's wrong?" She only shook her head weakly, not knowing how to answer herself, even as his brows furrowed with worry and guilt. "Was it…was that too much all of a sudden? Did you not…like it?"

"N-No–I-I mean, yes–I mean no, it's not…" Wiping her tears while trying to catch her breath, her head was still spinning from everything, least of all the hazy afterglow. "It's just I suddenly realized…I really missed you, Adam."

Those big, round maroons, shiny and red with tears, were being reflected straight back at her from his own eyes. "O-Oh…" For some reason his voice trembled, and then there was a blink and a tear too on his face, but neither of them pulled away. "I missed you so much until I thought, surely this hole would never be filled; that all I would ever know is sadness and regret." Gently, he laid her against his chest, so she could hear his heart thumping with each beat. "I missed feeling you like this…talking with you, touching you, just being with you…so please, don't shy away like this. Let me hear your voice…the way you moan when I please you, or cry when we come together, or asking me to do things…anything you ask, and I'll do it, gladly."

Even as he was speaking those passionate and tender words, Sio could feel his hands wandering; they were all over her thighs, then her waist and stomach…she shuddered and suddenly the urge came rushing back, to have him ravage her senseless, but lovingly, as they always had.

"You…I want to hear the same, from you," she whispered breathlessly, eyes half-lidded as she started stroking his throbbing member, which was stiff and twitching between her palm. "I know you haven't been satisfied in quite some time…"

He fell silent as Sio continued to stroke him faster, those emeralds growing hazy as he watched but he was far better than her at holding his voice back. His cock was warm and hard between her fingers, and whenever she dug her nail into the sensitive head it would give a very noticeable throb as his hips jerked upward.

"_Uhhnnn_…oh yeah…" When was the last time he'd wanked himself off? Probably not since before their fight; the entire time he'd been crashing at Mirza's, it just seemed too crass and frankly, his mood had been entirely depressed. Now though, after shamelessly getting an erection from that massage and then fingering her until she was limp and satiated…his body nagged at him to be satisfied somehow.

"Does it feel good?" Oh yeah; he'd definitely missed her sweet-yet-sultry voice. Panting, Adam could only nod slightly as Sio added her second hand, both of them now twisting and stroking his length up and down, squeezing every so often. How easily they could slide back into each others' lives, his body instantly recalling exactly how it felt to be touched by her. Small gasps were pouring out of his mouth, as he leaned back into the water and let himself enjoy her hands. That devious little smile…especially when she stroked the ridge of his pelvis along the bone, which was a weak spot for him…his lips pressed into a thin line and the knot in his stomach grew tighter.

"Shit…!" He hadn't been expecting it when his orgasm hit, Sio blinking slightly in surprise as her hands suddenly became coated with the thick, warm fluid. "Don't stop," he groaned, reaching over and taking her hands in his, stroking himself using her hands, shuddering and jerking with each thrust until he finished coming. "Fuck…I came too soon…I haven't felt you in too long, that's why…"

"Wow…you came a lot, huh?" Blinking, he looked down at their hands and his stomach, which were covered with spurts of white spunk that Sio proceeded to lick off. "_Uhmmnn_…it's been a while since I tasted it too…I actually missed it…"

"You…are…" He didn't get to finish his sentence, nor did she finish cleaning off his cum because then he was lifting her out of the tub, water splashing all over the floor as he clumsily made his way to the bed, deeply kissing her and their tongues wrestling all the while.

The expensive silk sheets were quickly becoming wrinkled after he pushed her onto the bed and climbed on top. There wasn't even time for words like 'I love you' or 'I'm sorry', just tongues and lips trying to dominate each other, before they slid to her neck, then her breasts, Sio now freely moaning and writhing underneath his touch. Gods, when was the last time they'd just ravaged each other like this, fueled by nothing but passion and pure lust? Her core was throbbing and begging to be filled, especially as his mouth moved between her legs and licked her dripping entrance.

"_Mmnnn_–why should you get to have all the fun?" To his surprise, Sio pushed him onto his back, before settling herself nicely between across his body while pushing her dripping snatch towards his face. "I think this is better…"

She knew he hadn't been fully satisfied with her handjob, despite how much he'd come–the fact that his cock was already stiffening rapidly as she licked and stroked it, was proof of that. "_Hnnngg~~_t-tease…" Sio almost lost her balance when Adam stuck two fingers inside, scissoring against her walls and she retaliated by using her tongue to stroke the underside of his length and all the way around his sensitive head.

"Fuck–you're gonna make me cum too quick again…!"

"Then come~" she teased in a sing-song voice, which rapidly morphed into a moan as his tongue lashed her clit in punishment. "_A-Ahnn_…oh damn…" Weakly, she still tried using her hands to please him, teasing his balls as her hips jolted from his tongue. The way it throbbed visibly in her grip when she squeezed and pulled the shaft, all the way from the base to the leaking tip that she swore oozed a little more each time she neared the top.

"S-Stop…! I'll c-cum…I don't want to just yet…" Despite how easy it would be to just come into her mouth, Adam forced himself to hold back. "Bloody hell…I want to fuck you so badly right now, you don't even know…" He groaned desperately, flipping her off onto her back. Her scent, taste, and how she just lay beneath him, maroons hooded and inviting while she played with her breasts, her voice breathy and sensual.

"Then do it; fuck me senseless…" She teased him just a bit more, her legs splayed open and thighs coated with her juices while she fingered her own clit. "You should fuck me until neither of us can walk straight tomorrow…"

What little sensibilities remained in his mind immediately flew out after that comment; not even thinking to at least text Mirza to let him know that he was a) not lying in a ditch somewhere and b) had in fact come to terms with Sio. No, the only thing Adam could focus on right now was how wonderful she felt against his body, and how much he missed her–craved for her, after all this time. The heat from her skin, her lips that kissed everywhere on his face and neck while her hands glided up his torso; it was like finding a part of yourself that had been lost all this time.

"_Nnnnggn–aahhnn, uwoo_–oh god–!" She seemed to be letting everything go too, moans and sighs spilling out along with his name and stutters as he thrust into her furiously. It was good, so good; even after all the different positions and tricks they tried, sometimes you just couldn't beat good old-fashioned vanilla. "_Aaah_, Adam–!" Those rosy lips that were the same color as her pert nipples, twisted into a pout with eyes that begged him to go harder, faster.

Pillows and blankets fell to the wayside as they continued to ravage each other; despite the high quality of the bed, still it creaked and shifted at the sheer force of their lovemaking, filling the room with a combination of creaking bedsprings and their moans and cries. Sio couldn't help but arch her back as Adam hit a particularly sensitive spot deep within her, clutching fistfuls of the 1,000+ thread count sheets as he grabbed onto the headboard, bracing himself against it for better leverage.

Sio lost track of how long they were going at it on the bed, or when they switched off; only when they came for what seemed like the nth time while she was riding him, did she notice just what sort of state they, and the bed, were in.

"O-Oh, damn…oh man, th-there's so much…" Gasping and panting, maroons widening just a tad as her fingers dragged through her tangled mess of dark curls, which were completely drenched in a mixture of their fluids. "Crap, there's a lot of cum…so much for that bath…" She blushed slightly as it dripped onto his stomach while she slowly got off.

"Who cares; 's not like this is our house anyway…" Adam heaved a sigh, running a hand briefly through his sweaty locks. Truth be told, he was rather reluctant to sleep on such soiled sheets, especially since he had a feeling they weren't quite done yet. "Why don't you go take a quick rinse, while I…call housekeeping."

Nodding, Sio lurched unsteadily back to the shower, thighs aching and her nether regions quite tender at this point. How could she have ever imagined living without him…emotional bonding and connections were definitely one half, but she wouldn't deny the other half; the half where they could spend hours doing nothing but making love–she'd definitely missed that.

As the shower head poured perfectly-warm water over her scalp, she sighed with relief; both relief from the temporary aches she'd sustained, and also from the reassurance that, though there would still be bumps and it wasn't perfect, at least they had mended this rift that had been holding them apart.

_'Adam Muirhead…I really do love you; I know so.'_ She twisted her engagement ring, which hadn't been taken off ever since she'd gotten it back. She was so caught up in just enjoying the luxuriously large shower that she didn't hear him enter until he was literally pressed against her back.

"A-Adam! You startled me…" she chided, before moving to the side to let him underneath the water. "You could've said something…"

"Sorry; I thought you'd notice," he shrugged, before just standing and letting the water run all over him. "Damn, this feels nice…perhaps it's a good thing I only paid for one night…I might get too used to this luxury…"

"Uh huh. We have a shower too, maybe it's not as big, but…" Sio's voice faded slightly as she suddenly found herself being pressed up against the glass shower wall, something hard rubbing her inner thigh. "A-Adam?! You aren't…you can't be serious–!"

"Does it feel like I'm joking around?" Already he was fingering her slit which, to Sio's slight dismay, was wet and slippery. "Don't worry, the shower'll wash everything right off–"

"I–that's not the point–I, this place is–wh-what if I slip?" Her complaint turned into a cry however, as he slowly entered her from behind, Sio only able to moan as the cool glass pressed against her nipples. Even though she was sure this shower was designed for more than just washing, her legs were rather wobbly now, and with the constant flow of water pooling at their feet… "_Ch-chotto, Adamu-uu–!_"

"It'll be all right love; just trust me, yeh?" Strong hands anchored themselves around her hips, his breath warming and soothing against her neck. "I won't let you fall or anything else happen t' yeh; but you've got to trust me, all right?" With her breath already fogging the glass, she could do little other than nod weakly in return. "_Sasuga Shio_; it'll be fine."

True to his word, Adam had somehow anchored against her in a way so that the glass was stabilizing her, even as he pounded into her from behind. Water continued to pour from above, letting his hands slide easily all over her breasts and stomach as he left love bites along her neck and shoulder. Despite the amount of sex they'd been having already, her body still seemed just as sensitive as the first time, her muscles clenching around his thick length as she thrust back to meet his hips.

Still, as the pace grew frantic, Sio worried about being pressed against the glass; even if this was a nice hotel, the strength of his thrusts caused the glass to bend a little more each time. "A-Adam…I'm, I–_aahnn_–I don't think, this position is a g-good idea…th-the, glass…"

He merely answered with a grunt as Sio felt herself being hoisted into the air, her back now coming in contact with the tiles as he moved her. While this new position allowed for a more stable surface, now her feet were entirely off the ground, and she clung to him for dear life as he continued to drive into her.

"Gyaah! I-I'm, I'll fall–"

"You won't Sio, relax; I'll make sure of it. Here, wrap your legs around my waist…that's it…" With a firm but gentle grip, he settled her against the tile wall as she gripped his shoulders, the new positing forcing her legs to spread wide. "Oh, shit…your insides are so hot…I've missed this feeling…"

Ring, ring. Just as Sio could feel her insides convulsing, a faint ring echoed through the room. "Wha–that's, is that th-the, housekeeping? Oh, no…"

"Don't pay them any mind, I told 'em to just leave it outside," Adam groaned, not wanting to lose the momentum. "I'll…get them, later…"

"_Haahhnn–nng, haah_, oh god Adam…" Burying her face against his neck, she could only tremble and cry as her orgasm came bubbling up, hearing his ragged breathing as he also approached his climax. This feeling of being close to him again, not caring about anything in the world except for him and her in this moment…the only things she could know were the heat from his skin, the taste of his sweat, and the indescribable feeling deep inside her when they were together like this.

"Hang on, Sio." She was jolted out of the haze of pleasure by his low murmur, confused at first until she felt herself being pushed harder than before against the tiles and she knew then that he was coming, his thrusts hard and irregular as he moaned her name, before slowly lowering them to the floor. "S-Sorry…you didn't come, right?"

"I-It's not–it doesn't matter…" Truthfully, she was quite exhausted, but Adam reached down anyway and stroked her pink clit until she was shaking, quivering all over in low, rolling waves of pleasure, before she sighed and sank completely into his arms.

They sat there for a while, just breathing and letting the water wash the mess away, until at last Adam reached up and turned off the tap, before carrying her out princess style, grabbing a handful of towels on the way out. First he sat her down on the couch, before loosely wrapping a towel around his waist to retrieve the fresh bed linens, as Sio proceeded to tug off the stained ones, just piling them in the middle of the floor.

"Mmm…I guess this is a 5-star hotel for a reason…" She sighed and rolled around on the silky fabric, enjoying the feeling of it across her nude body. "Hey, Adam…"

"Hnn?" They weren't asleep yet, but he was thinking they'd either retire soon or at the most, go at it one more round. "What is it…"

"Why did you…decide to come back. I-I mean, I…know you said all that stuff earlier and all, but, still…"

Her eyes were round and soft, closing just slightly as he reached an arm out to stroke her silky strands. "Because, I realised…I love you. Even though there were times I thought, maybe I should just leave…" He shook his head wryly. "I couldn't explain it, but each time I had a thought like that, it was as if there was a voice in my head telling me, 'you're making the wrong move'."

She nodded, enjoying his pampering. "Sou ka…I realized too, I think after like two weeks…" She gave him a sarcastic smile as she recalled how miserable it was, moping about their apartment while Asao-san and Jess took turns nursing her. "Asao-san said I was giving up too soon…and Jess said I should think hard…so I did think. And in the end, the only thing I knew for sure was, I missed you a lot…and I wanna be with you…because I love you so much…"

Her voice cracked a little, and even now a single tear rolled down her eye, only to be wiped up by his thumb. "Me too…I think–no, I know this won't be the last time we…run into an obstacle…but it's as you said, I believe we'll figure that out, too…"

"Mm hmm…" She nodded, enjoying his warmth. Actually, she was getting quite tired now; not just from the intense rounds of sex earlier, but this entire ordeal overall. "_Nee_, Adam…"

"Yeh?" His eyes were half-lidded too, and she knew he was about to fall asleep and tired like her, but maybe just one more thing…

Slowly she crawled over, across the sheets that they could probably never afford nor bother to buy, until she was draped warmly against his body; the heat and the feel of it, so intimately skin-to-skin–it both fulfilled and stirred this inexplicable feeling inside her, that tied all her feelings together.

"Can we…just do it one more time?"

There was something of a whisper–either 'sure' or 'of course', but it was lost to her ears the second he flipped her over and they were once again consumed in each other.

* * *

_Riing. Riiing. Riing._

"Bloody hell…" A sigh, before a hand reached out underneath mussed covers to grope around blindly for that infuriating noise–answering just before that last ring–

"–'ello?"

_"Good morning Mr. Muirhead. Apologies for disturbing you, but we would like to remind you that checkout is at 10am. Or did you wish to extend your stay?"_

He glanced at the digits '10:35' and groaned; right, crap, this whole…one-night-stand/make-up/whatever had only been booked for one night…and from the look and feel of things, there was no way in hell either of them would be getting up soon. "Uh, just…put us down for one more night, then…"

_"Very well. Please let us know if you need anything else."_

"A hangover cure would be nice," he muttered, clumsily putting the phone back and just about to pull the duvet over his head because that damn sun–

_Bzzzt! Bzzzt!_ His iPhone started buzzing nonstop, and with a growl Adam threw back the covers and answered it without even looking at the caller. "What now?!"

_"Thank the gods–I've got him Jess–Adam?! Where the bloody hell are you?! Do you have any idea what Jess and I've been through–you weren't answering our texts or our calls, and where's Sio for that matter, Jess says she hasn't been able to find her either–"_

Oh shit. Right, Mirza and Beckham. He could feel his headache mounting as Mirza continued lecturing him on his complete irresponsibility about responding to them, how worried they were, etc., etc…

"–Would you please just shut your trap for one second?" He growled, ending the Indian's tirade. "I'm…sorry, things got…complicated, alright?" He glanced over at the sleeping figure next to him, limbs all sprawled out over the messy sheets without a care in the world. Yup, definitely complicated. "For the record, we're both fine–and you can tell Jess Sio's with me; we're both all right…well, as fine as two pissed fools can be…"

_"So, we were right,"_ now the Indian's voice was amused, rather than angry. _"When we left you last night, we debated about finding you two, or…I guess letting you guys work it out seems to have been the best solution?"_

The silver-haired man gave a snort. "Yeh, well, it was…something. Anyway. Don't you two get your knickers in a twist; we're fine, just…very tired…"

_"I'll say,"_ there was a chime of laughter on the other end and faintly he could hear the blonde's voice, telling Mirza to tell them that they owed her when they got back, _"in any case, I guess we'll see you both soon?"_

"Yeh; uh, probably tomorrow…I'll be sure to give you a call…an' tell Jess we're sorry…"

_"You can apologise to her yourself. Well, I'll let you two get back to your little love nest–"_ a sound of indignation from the other man's throat–_"we'll be waiting."_

"Bloody wanker…" Sighing, he scrolled through the numerous texts and missed calls that he'd somehow all managed to ignore last night, before putting the phone down and burying himself in her hair.

"_Mmmnn…yabai_…Jess' probably really mad, huh?" The figure in his arms now stirred, there was no way she could've slept through that entire tirade, tired as she was.

"Huhn? Oh, well…you know her…"

"Yeah…she's all wound up…" Blinking, the brunette checked her own phone–now filled with tons of angry and worried emails and texts and calls from both the blonde and Asao. "Damn it…I guess I should at least send a text back…"

"Would be a good idea…" He yawned, nuzzling the smooth skin of her waist as he settled back down amongst the crumpled sheets. "I don't know about you, but I ain't getting up anytime soon…could use some water though…"

"Me too…ugh, my head feels awful…" Groaning, Sio slunk back underneath the covers, using his arms to block out the sun.

"That's 'cause you drank too much."

"Speak for yourself…"

"Anyway," Adam reached over and pulled the covers (which had somehow fallen off the bed) up, so they wouldn't be cold, "we're not in a hurry; I told the front desk we'd stay another night so…"

"_Mmmnnnm_…" A tired murmur from the girl, who, from the sounds of it, was already well on her way back to dreamland.

He smiled, before placing a light kiss on her forehead. She really was the most important thing in the world, to him. "You're what I want more than anything else in this world…need more than anything. I love you, Sio."

She was already fast asleep, but that was fine; in his heart he knew that she felt the same, and that was all the reassurance he needed.

"…_Aishitertu_, Adam."


End file.
